In the week ending May 30, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial
claims was 621,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised
figure of 625,000. The 4-week moving average was 631,250, an increase of 4,000
from the previous week's revised average of 627,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 5.0 percent
for the week ending May 23, unchanged from the prior
week's revised rate of 5.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during
the week ending May 23 was 6,735,000, a decrease of 15,000 from the preceding
week's revised level of 6,750,000. The 4-week moving average was 6,687,500,
an increase of 88,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 6,598,750.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.184 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted,
totaled 496,822 in the week ending May 30, a decrease of 41,577 from the previous
week. There were 300,989 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.5 percent during the
week ending May 23, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number
for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 6,014,501, a decrease
of 141,671 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.1 percent
and the volume was 2,757,822.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,642 in the week ending May 23, an increase of 225 from the prior week. There were 1,759 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 18 from the preceding week.

There were 15,301 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending May 16, a decrease of 510 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,435, an increase of 181 from the prior week.

States reported 2,347,218 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending May 16, an increase of 161,355 from the prior week. EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 23 were in Illinois (+3,881), Iowa (+2,312), South Carolina (+1,792), Texas (+1,548), and Wisconsin (+1,464), while the largest decreases were in North Carolina (-3,952), Michigan (-2,812), Ohio (-2,158), Tennessee (-2,053), and Connecticut (-1,320).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

May 30

May 23

Change

May 16

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

621,000

625,000

-4,000

636,000

370,000

Initial Claims
(NSA)

496,822

538,399

-41,577

540,925

300,989

4-Wk Moving Average
(SA)

631,250

627,250

+4,000

629,750

374,250

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

May 23

May 16

Change

May 9

Year

Ins. Unemployment
(SA)

6,735,000

6,750,000

-15,000

6,678,000

3,095,000

Ins. Unemployment
(NSA)

6,014,501

6,156,172

-141,671

6,204,009

2,757,822

4-Wk Moving Average
(SA)

6,687,500

6,598,750

+88,750

6,484,500

3,080,500

Ins. Unemployment
Rate (SA)2

5.0%

5.0%

0.0

5.0%

2.3%

Ins. Unemployment Rate
(NSA)2

4.5%

4.6%

-0.1

4.6%

2.1%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

May 23

May 16

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,642

1,417

+225

937

Newly Discharged Veterans

1,759

1,777

-18

1,348

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS
(UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

May 16

May 9

Change

Year

Federal Employees

15,301

15,811

-510

10,583

Newly Discharged Veterans

28,435

28,254

+181

19,915

Railroad RetirementBoard

10,000

10,000

0

2,000

Extended Benefits

146,689

157,747

-11,058

0

EUC 20083

2,347,218

2,185,863

+161,355

0

FOOTNOTESSA - Seasonally Adjusted DataNSA -
Not Seasonally Adjusted Data1 - Prior year is comparable
to most recent data.2 - Most recent week used covered employment of 133,683,433 as denominator.3 - EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 05/23/2009

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

NC

-3,952

Fewer layoffs in the construction, furniture, and transportation
industries.

MI

-2,812

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

OH

-2,158

Fewer layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.

TN

-2,053

Fewer layoffs in the transportation equipment, service, and
manufacturing industries.

CT

-1,320

No comment.

VA

-1,165

Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.

WA

-1,163

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

WI

+1,464

Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.

TX

+1,548

Layoffs in the construction, service, finance, and manufacturing
industries.

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